Improvement in door-retainer



UNITED STATEs PATENT OEEIoE.

G. IV. PERRY AND J. D. BILLINGS, OF WILMINGTON, DELAVARE.

IMPROVEMENT IN DOOR-RETAINER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No 84,756, dated December8, 1868.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, G. W. PERRY and J. D. BILLINGS, of Wilmington,Delaware, have invented an Improved Door-Retainer 5 and we doherebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same.

Our invention consists of a device, fully described hereafter, forretaining a door when it is open.

In order to enable others to make and apply our invention, we will nowproceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being hadto the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specilieation,and in which- Figure l is a vertical section of our improveddoor-retainer, and Fig. 2 a perspective view.

In the present instance our invention is illustrated as applied toarailway-car, of which A A represent the floor, and B the lower part ofthe door.

D is a light metal box, fitted into a recess or opening in the iioor, towhich the two flanges a a of the box are screwed.

E is the retaining-plate, the lower portion of which is so tted to thebox that it can slide freely therein and vibrate vertically, but canhave no lateral or longitudinal movement independent of the box.

Within the box, and at each end of the same, is a spiral spring, b, thesprings intervening between the bottom of the box and plate E, andtending to elevate the latter, which, however, is limited in its upwardmovement by lips c on the box, which overlap the ends of the plate. Thespiral springs b b are maintained in their proper-position byprojections f on the box and similar projections on the plate. The upperportion of this plate E is formed in the manner illustrated in thedrawingthat is to say, it has au inclination, i, extending from one endof the plate to the edge of the cavity m, and from the edge n of thiscavity there is a downward inclination to the opposite end of the plate.

The under edge of the door is provided with a rounded metal plate, t,for sliding over the plate E and fitting in the cavity m.

On opening the door, and thereby moving it in the direction of thearrow, Fig. l, the plate t on the door will strike the inclination i ofthe plate E, which will yield as the movea ment of the door in thedirection of the arrow is continued, and until the plate tcoincides withthe cavity an, when the spiral springs will elevate the plate E andpress it against the door, which is thus maintained in its opencondition.

When the door has to be closed it is pulled or pushed in a directioncontrary to that pointed out by the arrow, a slight effort beingnecessary to depress the plate, and thereby release the door.

It will be seen that the plate a serves as a guide for the plate orblock E, that it protects the springs from injury, and prevents theaccess of dust and dirt, which would clog the springs and interfere withtheir action.

It is also apparent that the plate a holds the block E so securely inits place (without interfering with its necessary movements) that itcannot be disengaged or misplaced by being struck by the foot or otherobject.

XVe claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Aplate, a, having an opening for the reception of a block, E, which restsupon springs d below the plate, the whole being construct ed andoperating substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we have signetl our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

(3. W. PERRY. J. D. BILLINGS.

Witnesses J AMES MOORE,

TM. B. WrGGiNs.

